In Case You Wondered Why…
Israel used a ceasefire to starve Gazans and turn them and others against Hamas, making Israel’s goal of eliminating Hamas less objectionable to the international community and congruent to those of Abbas’ PA, and the governments of Jordan and Egypt.
Long term planning for the operation included a visit to Egypt by Israeli Foreign Minster to inform Mubarak of the operation. Not that his approval was needed, but his submissiveness was desired. Besides, the Israelis prefer if he doesn’t utter rhetorical phrases about human rights and shit like that when taken by surprise.
During the attack, Abbas visited Mubarak looking for a shoulder to cry on (yes, even though the attacks have his blessing he still has a faint heart and could not take all the bloodshed alone). He came out of the meeting repeating Israel’s line, handed to him via Mubarak: “Hamas could have prevented this attack,” a murder in which it was the victim.
The murderous air attacks are only the shock-and-awe phase. Israel will follow up with a massive ground invasion, root out everything and everybody belonging to Hamas, and bring back their security subcontractors in the PA.
Mohammed Dahlan, Abbas’ former security chief in Gaza, will be soon installed back in Gaza. Abbas will enter it as a liberator and Fayyad will visit with a fistful of dollars for some miniscule project such as a school or a street. And Gazans, well, they will have to accept that they are better off because, for one thing, they would have food now.
With the difference being that Israel decided to do the military action itself this time, we are back to 1995, when Fatah men, lead by Dahaln, clashed with Hamas in Gaza killing hundreds from both sides. Except that the struggle for Palestinian freedom and equality has never been more irreparable.
It is also a test for Obama. Gauging his response to the action from outside the Whitehouse will set the tone for what Israel gets out of him. With his chief of staff being a former IDF volunteer, it’s hard to see how he will see things any different than the IDF perspective. And the American stance of asking the rape victim to quit scratching the rapist will continue to the Washington Modus Operandi.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/Page/VideoPlayer&cid;=1194419829128&videoId;=1230456496945
Just in case we start to pretend that Hamas is the side of the angels.
Frankly, if what you describe is the overall 'game plan', I'm less unhappy with that than I was until I read your article.
The best transitions to independent statehood after occupation usually come with one-party rule, not with two separate power bases who (and this is the big deal) can't even agree on the most fundamental principles of how their society is going to be organized — religious or secular.
The Palestinians need a one-party government right now to transition to statehood, even if it IS corrupt and inefficient.
Afterwards, the messy business of getting a second, challenger party in order — a party that hopefully is secular, just like Fatah and unlike Hamas, and agrees in principle that Israel should continue to exist in some form, like Fatah and unlike Hamas, so its challenge does not undermine the basis of Palestinian society.
Look, for example, at Taiwan — the KMT took Taiwan to independence, but they were also corrupt and sclerotic, and it took a while for an opposition party to really rise up. But when they did, it was the DPP, who share much the same concept of 'Taiwanese-ness' as the KMT, they're not religious fundamentalists and their position on China is *slightly* different, but in practice about the same. Taiwan's in a much better place now than if they'd had a religious fundamentalist party dueling with the KMT at the outset as they were achieving (roughly speaking) independence.
Joe, why don’t you go vomit on another blog.
Excellent post Fayyad!
I suspect that the Israelis wanted more than Mubarak’s submissiveness though. While they didn’t need his blessing, they wanted his cooperation. Sadly, the events around Rafah in the past 24 hours suggest he was overly accommodating…
It is gut-wrenching to think that Egypt and the PA could have colluded with the Israelis on this one, but all signs point to that reality.
“”
It is gut-wrenching to think that Egypt and the PA could have colluded with the Israelis on this one, but all signs point to that reality.”"
It’s good to see people are finally getting this.
Um, Rahm Emmanuel was never in the IDF. That’s a myth. He lost his finger in an industrial accident in a butcher shop.
Moreover, it would be irresponsible for Obama to make any significant policy statements on this issue before January 20th. One president at a time, even if the outgoing one is a useless, powerless imbecile.
“”Um, Rahm Emmanuel was never in the IDF. That’s a myth. He lost his finger in an industrial accident in a butcher shop.”"
He volunteered as a civilian to assist the IDF during the first Gulf War. Frankly, I don’t think it’s a big deal, considering the Gulf War was entirely justified… though I wonder why he didn’t work as a civilian for the American military.
hh… amazing ))
now I’ll be in touch..